Weapon security rack

ABSTRACT

A weapon security rack for securing a weapon from unauthorized removal which includes a butt housing for receiving the butt of the weapon. A barrel mount, displaced from the butt housing receives within a mount passage the barrel of the weapon around that section of the barrel having a lesser diameter. A bar lock is movable within the barrel mount for blocking the mount passage thereby to lockingly engage the lesser diameter barrel section. The barrel mount has a surface which is located a predetermined distance from the section of the barrel having the larger diameter. The predetermined distance is less than an interval dimension of the butt housing in order that the weapon be captured between the barrel mount and butt housing.

i United States Patent 11 1 Walters Nov. 4, 1975 [73] Assignee: BMRSecurity Products Corporation, Richmond, Ky.

22 Filed: Jan. 23, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 435,942

[75] Inventor:

[52] [1.8. CI. 211/64; 211/4; 248/203 [51] Int. C1. A47F 7/00 [58] Fieldof Search 211/4, 64; 248/203 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,251,271 8/1941 Del Campo 211/64 2,287,805 6/1942 Johnson 211/642,321,018 6/1943 Dowd 211/64 2,667,274 1/1954 DlebOlCl 211/64 2,668,6452/1954 Pease 211/64 ux 2,855,108 l0/1958 Primary Examiner-J. FranklinFoss Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Allan Ratner 57 ABSTRACT A weapon securityrack for securing a weapon from unauthorized removal which includes abutt housing for receiving the butt of the weapon. A barrel mount,displaced from the butt housing receives within a mount passage thebarrel of the weapon around that section of the barrel having a lesserdiameter. A bar lock is movable within the barrel mount for blocking themount passage thereby to lockingly engage the lesser diameter barrelsection. The barrel mount has a surface which is located a predetermineddistance from the section of the barrel having the larger diameter. Thepredetermined distance is less than an interval dimension of the butthousing in order that the weapon be captured between the barrel mountand butt housing.

16 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 101*33,917,071

U.S. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 2 of3 3,917,071

0 a 4 a 1 v F a |\||||.l\| J 3 Tr k X [-ir. i, i Lufldri w A 2 30 g M E3 a 4 a US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 3 of3 3,917,071

WEAPON SECURITY RACK BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Field of theInvention This invention relates to weapon racks and particularly forsecuring a weapon fromunauthorized removal.

B. Prior Art Weapon security racks for preventing unauthorized removalof a weapon are known in the art. However, some of such prior securityracks are bulky in construction and cannot be utilized in confinedspaces. Other prior security racks are complex in leading to high costsin manufacture and assembly resulting in a relatively expensive device.I

In some other prior security racks, the weapons are secured through theuse of a padlock which is removable from the rack. The padlock may belost thus permitting-removal of the weapon from the rack. Even inpriorsecurity racks, where a padlock is attached to the main body of therack, the time required in opening and closing the lock may beexcessive. This would be important where the weapon is immediatelyneeded.

In other prior security devices it is sometimes difficult to check thestatusof the lock. Thus, it is difficult to see whether the rack islocked or unlocked during an inspection. Accordingly, unauthorizedremoval of the weapon may result when the rack has been wrongly left inan unlocked position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A weapon security rack for securing only asingle weapon which extends in a longitudinal direction'and has a barreland a butt portion. The barrel portion is formed of at least a firstsection having a predetermined diameter extending from a muzzle end to asecond section having an increased diameter with respect to that of thefirst section. The rack comprises a butt housing for receivinginternally the butt end of the weapon. The butt housing has apredetermined internal dimension in the longitudinal direction. A barrelmount is longitudinally displaced from thebutt housing with a mountpassage having a wall for supporting the first section. Bar lock meansis movable within and lockingly secured to the barrel mount for blockingthe passage thereby capturing and locking the first section between themount passage and the bar lock means. The barrel mount has a surfacelocated ata predetermined distance from the second section with thepredetermined distance being less than the internal dimension of thebutt housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of theweapon security rack showing the butt housing and the-barrel mount;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the barrel mount taken along thesection line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational cross-section view of the butt housing takenalong the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of-the barrel mount taken along thesection line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the weapon'security rack with a weapon mountedtherein;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the weapon security rack;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the barrel mount; and,

. FIG. 8 is a top view of an embodiment of the weapon security rackadapted to secure a pair of weapons.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGS. 1-6, there is shown weaponsecurity rack 10 for storing and securing weapon 12 against unauthorizedremoval. Rack 10 provides the user with ease of weapon insertion andlocking engagement of weapon 12 therein. As will later be shown, theuser, after insertion of weapon 12 in rack 10, lockingly engages weaponl2 within'rack 10in one linear motion thereby preventing removal ofweapon 12 until needed. Rack 10 may be fastened to an external surfacesuch as a wall, post, bulkhead, or other structural member of a ship,edifice or other relatively immovable member. In this manner, weapon 12may be stored in a permanently fixed position until its use is required.

In general, rack 10 is utilized for fixedly securing weapons 12 whichhave a barrel portion 14 and a butt portion 16 as shown in FIGS. 5 and6. Both security rack 10 and weapon 12 extend in a longitudinaldirection as defined by directional arrow 18. Barrel portion 14, isformed of first section 20 having a predetermined diameter of dimensionwhich extends from muzzle 22 to second section 24 having an increaseddiameter or dimension with respect to the diameter of first section 20.It is understood that first section 20 does not have to have a constantdiameter throughout its extended length in longitudinal direction 18.The important aspect of dimensional size is that second section 24defines an increased dimension in a direction substantially normal tolongitudinal direction 18 over that of 'barrel'first section 20.

In one type of weapon 12 such as M-l6 rifle, second section 24 isinitiated by sight line 102, shown in FIG. 5. Sight line 102 includesupper portion 104 used for sighting a target and a lower stop member106. As shown, elements 104 and 106 in this type of weapon provides forthe increased dimension of second section 24. As shown, this increaseddimension in combination with the positional location of the componentelements of rack 10 prevents removal of weapon 12 from rack 10 when itis in a locked position.

Butt housing 26 for internally receiving butt 16 of weapon 12. Inconstruction, butt housing 26 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, forms openended or open top chamber 28 for longitudinal insertion of a portion ofbutt 16. Thus, housing 26 forms a partial enclosure for butt 16 havinghousing bottom wall 30 joined to sidewalls 32 in a manner such that butt16 may be inserted therein with a lowermost surface of butt 16 lyingadjacent bottom wall 30.

The overall width 44 of,butt housing 26 is somewhat in excess of buttportion 16 of weapon 12. This provides ease of insertion into chamber 28as well as permitting a wide variety of weapons 12 to be insertedtherein. However, where width 44 is too great, excess movement of butt16 may be found when weapon 12 is mounted in housing 26. This may occurwhen rack 10 is mounted to an external surface which is movable such asa moving ship, truck or other vehicle. In order to maintain ease ofinsertion while eliminating movement of butt portion 16, inner wall 46is formed into a funnel member as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Inner wall 46includes a first inclined portion 48 and a vertically directed portion50. Thus, weapon 12 may be easily inserted at the upper portion ofhousing 26 defining the largest width dimension, the slide down inclinedwall 48 into a relatively constrained position between wall 50 andsidewall 32.

Weapon security rack 10 further includes barrel mount 36, shown in FIGS.1, 2, 4, and 57 for receiving and lockingly engaging barrel portion 14.Mount 36 is longitudinally displaced from butt housing 26 in a mannersuch that mount lower surface 38 is positioned adjacent to and at apredetermined distance 40 from barrel second section 24. Surface 38faces second section 24 of weapon 12 to provide a restraint when weapon12 is moved in longitudinal direction 18. Distance 40, as shown in FIGS.5 and 6 is less than longitudinally directed internal butt housingdimension 34. In this manner, when weapon 12 is inserted in rack andlocked, longitudinal movement will be dictated by distance 40 wherebarrel second section 24 would abut against mount lower surface 38. Whendistance 40 is less than internal butt housing dimension 34, it is clearthat when section 24 abuts against surface 38, a portion of butt 16 willstill be maintained internal to chamber 28 of housing 26. Thus, weapon[2 could not be removed from rack 10. An important criteria inconstruction results from the fact that the maximum distance 40 betweenlower surface 38 and second section 24 be less than butt housinginternal dimension 34.

In overall concept, distance 40 between lower surface 38 and sight line102 is generally minimized in order to constrain motion of weapon 12when mounted in security rack 10. Thus, if rack 10 is mounted within aship, longitudinal ship roll will not cause weapon 12 to move withinrack 10. Further, when distance 40 is kept to a minimum, prying of mount36 from sight line 104 is made more difficult and provides more securityfor the mounted weapon 12.

Lug or extension member 42 may be formed on mount 36 as a part of lowersurface 38 as shown in FIG. 7. Lug 42 includes a flat lower surface toreceive stop 106 on sight line 102. Thus, stop 106 bears on a flatsurface rather than a rounded surface when weapon 12 is moved inlongitudinal direction 18. Additionally, lug 42 provides increasedstructural integrity for barrel mount 36 at a section where the barrelmount sidewall is relatively thin. I

In overall construction, barrel mount 36 and butt housing 26 are fixedlysecured to structural member 52 in fixed relation as is shown in FIG. 1.Structural member 52 is then mounted or fastened to an external surface.Mount 36 and housing 26 may be fastened to member 52 through welding,bolting or some like technique not important to the inventive concept asherein described. Similarly, structural member 52 is fixedly secured toan external surface by bolts 54 or some like means. Member 54 may be ofchannel beam construction as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 where barrel mount36 is secured between opposing tracks 56.

As shown in FIG. 8, rack 10 may include a pair of butt housings 26 and apair of barrel mounts 36 fixedly secured to structural member 52 onopposing surfaces thereof. In this manner, a pair of weapons 12 may bemounted on one security rack 10 as is shown. In this embodiment, member52 may be composed of a pair of channel beams mounted back to back ormay in simplest form be a beam having opposing parallel surfaces. Inorder to mount rack 10 between columns or other external surfaces 58, apair of clamps 60 are provided as shown. Member 52 may be fastened toclamps 60 through rivets 62. Clamps 60 in turn are then secured tocolumns 58 by rivets 64 as shown.

Structural member 52 may further include at least one stop 66 as shownin FIG. 1. Stop 66 is formed on member 52 and extends in longitudinaldirection 18 as well as passing transversely from an external side ofone of tracks 56. Stop 66 transversely terminates at bearing surface 68which is predeterminedly positioned to bear against a particular portionof weapon 12 when it is mounted within rack 10. In some weapons 12,various sections are secured, each to the other, by pin members. Removalof the pins results in weapon 12 being dismantled. Bearing surface 68 isthus formed on member 52 in a manner so as to lie contiguous todismantling pins and form a restraining surface such thatthe pins cannotbe removed. In this manner, weapon 12 may not be dismantled whilemounted in security rack 10.

In detailed construction, barrel mount 36 includes barrel frame 70secured to structural member 52 and bar lock device 72 movably actuatedwithin frame 70 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. Barrel mount frame 70includes trough shaped passage 74 extending in longitudinal direction 18throughout the longitudinal extension of frame 70. Further trough 74extends from side surface 76 through a portion of frame 70in a directionsubstantially normal to longitudinal direction l8..The width of trough74 is greater than the diameter of barrel first section 20 to permitinsertion of section 20 within trough 74. Bar lock device 72 isinsertable within opening 78 which is partially formed through barrelframe 70 in a direction substantially normal to longitudinal direction18 as shown in FIG. 7. Opening 78 includes flattened wall section 120which mates with a flat formed on locking tube 82 in order to preventtorque from being applied to latch bolt 84 when inserted into recess 86.

Bar lock device 72 includes a standard lock cylinder 80 within lockingtube 82. Latch bolt 84 of lock cylinder 80 is passed through an openingin locking tube 82 into recess 86, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide alocked position. When cylinder lock key 88 is rotated, latch bolt 84 isremoved from recess 86 andlocking tube 82 may be removed fromintersecting trough passage74. Thus, weapon 12 may be removed frombarrel frame 70 and consequently from rack 10.

Locking tube 82 includes tube first section 90 within which lockcylinder 80 is located and tube second section 92 which intersectstrough passage 74. As seen in FIG. 2, tube second section 92 iscontoured to provide barrel opening 94 sufficient in diameter to permitinsertion therein of barrel first section 20. Thus, when bar lock device72 is in a locked position, section 20 of weapon 12 is captured betweenlocking tube 82 and on inner wall of trough 74 with that inner wallproviding the sole support for weapon barrel 14 as shown in FIGS. 5 and6. In this manner, barrel portion 14 of weapon 12 is restrained frombeing removed through trough passage 74.

Bar lock device 72 may be movably displaced within barrel frame 70, butnot removed therefrom. Roll pin 96 is maintained within barrel frame 70and contacts tube recess 98. Pin 96 is fastened to frame 70 and extendsin longitudinal direction 18. Recess forward wall 100 and recess backwall 102 define the movable stroke length of bar lock device 72 withinbarrel mount frame 70. When bar lock 72 is pulled fromopening 78,

pin 96 bears against forward wall 100 and prevents complete escapementof device 72 from frame 70.

drawing, lock cylinder 80 extends from'barrel frame 70 when in anunlocked position. When in a locked position lock cylinder 80 is locatedcompletely internal to frame 70. Thus, by casual inspection, it ispossible to determine whether security rack is in a locked or unlockedposition.

In operation, when weapon 12 is to be locked within rack 10, buttportion 16 in inserted within funnel shaped chamber 28 and barrel firstsection is inserted through passage 74 into barrel opening 94. Lockingtube 82 is pushed forward to block passage 74 as shown in FIG. 2. Latchbolt 84 automatically spring ejects into frame recess 86, therebylocking weapon 12 within rack 10. When latch bolt 84 is within recess86, it is seen that removal of roll pin 96 from frame 70 in direction 18does not release bar device 72 from a locked position. Thus, when rack10 is locked, key 88 must still be used in bar lock 72 inorder torelease weapon 12.

In order to release weapon 12, key 88 is inserted within lock cylinder80 and rotated. Latch bolt 84 is retracted from recess 86 into asidewall of locking tube 82. Locking tube 82 is pulled back, therebyremoving section 92 from passage 74. Rack 10 is then unlocked and weapon12 may be removed from butt housing 26 and barrel mount 36.

It is to be understood that rack 10 may be coated with a standard nylontype coating or other corrosion resistant layer in order to inhibitcontamination of rack 10 as well as to prevent unwanted marking ofweapon 12.

What is claimed is:

l. A weapon security rack for securing only a single weapon extending ina longitudinal direction having a front and a butt portion, said frontportion being formed of a first section having a predetermined diameterand a second section having an increased diameter with respect to thatof said first section, comprising:

a butt housing for receiving internally said butt end of said singleweapon, said housing having a predetermined dimension in saidlongitudinal direction; and,

a mount longitudinally displaced from said butt housing and including amount passage having a wall for supporting said first section, bar lockmeans movable within and lockingly secured to said mount for blockingsaid passage thereby capturing and locking said first section betweensaid passage and said bar lock means, said mount having a surfacelocated a predetermined distance from said second section, saidpredetermined distance being less than said dimension of said butthousing.

2. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 1 in which said mountpassage wall provides the sole support for said weapon first section,said bar lock means displaced from said mount passage wall and movablein said mount in a direction normal to said longitudinal direction andlocking means integral with said bar lock means operable by a keywhereby said bar lock means may be simply unlocked with said key andmoved to an open position unblocking said passage thereby providingquick access to said single weapon.

3. The weapon security rack of claim 2 in which said locking means ofbar lock means includes latch bolt Jjimeans whereby without use of saidkey said bar lock means may be moved from an open position to a weaponlocking position with said latch bolt self locking s'aid bar lock means.

4. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 2 in which said frontportion is a barrel portion of said weapon, said mount is a barrel mountsaid first section extends substantially from a muzzle end of saidweapon and said dimension is measured internally of said butt housing.

5. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said surface ofsaid barrel mount faces said second section of said barrel portion forproviding a restraint when said weapon is moved in said longitudinaldirection.

6. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said barrelmount includes a substantially flat surface facing said second sectionof said weapon when said butt end of said weapon is received internal tosaid butt housing.

7. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said surface ofsaid barrel mount is located in predetermined maximum distance from saidsecond section when said weapon is mounted within said butt housing andsaid barrel mount.

8. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 5 where said butthousing forms an open ended chamber for longitudinal insertion of saidbutt portion of said weapon.

9. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 8 where said butthousing includes an inclined inner wall to form a funnel member forinsertion of said butt portion of said weapon.

10. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said butthousing and said barrel mount are fixedly secured to a structural.member extending in said longitudinal direction, said structural memberbeing adapted to be mounted to an external surface.

11. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 10 including at leastone stop secured to said structural member, said stop being positionedadjacent a predetermined portion of said weapon when said weapon ismounted within said butt housing and said barrel mount for preventingremoval of pin members within said predetermined portion of said weapon.

12. The weapon securityrack as recited in claim 10 including a pair ofbutt housings and barrel mounts fixedly secured to said structuralmember on opposing surfaces thereof for securing a'pair of weapons tosaid security rack.

13. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said barrelmount includes a barrel frame having said mount passage in the formof atrough shaped passage extending in said longitudinal direction forinsertion of said barrel portion of said weapon, said barrel framehaving an opening passing in a direction normal to said longitudinaldirection and intersecting said trough shaped passage.

14. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 13 where said bar lockmeans is movably secured to said barrel frame within said opening forlockingly engaging said barrel portion of said weapon.

15. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 14 where said bar lockmeans includes locking tube means having a predetermined contour forcapturing said barrel of said weapon between said locking tube means andsaid wall of said trough shaped mount passage when said bar lock meansis inserted within said open- 16. The weapon security rack as recited inclaim ing formed within said barrel frame, said locking tube in whichthere is provide stop means for preventing said having a portionextending out of said opening when bar lock means from being removedfrom saidbarr'el said bar lock means is unlocked and pulled to an openframe when in the open position. position. 5

1. A weapon security rack for securing only a single weapon extending in a longitudinal direction having a front and a butt portion, said front portion being formed of a first section having a predetermined diameter and a second section having an increased diameter with respect to that of said first section, comprising: a butt housing for receiving internally said butt end of said single weapon, said housing having a predetermined dimension in said longitudinal direction; and, a mount longitudinally displaced from said butt housing and including a mount passage having a wall for supporting said first section, bar lock means movable within and lockingly secured to said mount for blocking said passage thereby capturing and locking said first section between said passage and said bar lock means, said mount having a surface located a predetermined distance from said second section, said predetermined distance being less than said dimension of said butt housing.
 2. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 1 in which said mount passage wall provides the sole support for said weapon first section, said bar lock means displaced from said mount passage wall and movable in said mount in a direction normal to said longitudinal direction and locking means integral with said bar lock means operable by a key whereby said bar lock means may be simply unlocked with said key and moved to an open position unblocking said passage thereby providing quick access to said single weapon.
 3. The weapon security rack of claim 2 in which said locking means of bar lock means includes latch bolt means whereby without use of said key said bar lock means may be moved from an open position to a weapon locking position with said latch bolt self locking said bar lock means.
 4. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 2 in which said front portion is a barrel portion of said weapon, said mount is a barrel mount said first section extends substantially from a muzzle end of said weapon and said dimension is measured internally of said butt housing.
 5. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said surface of said barrel mount faces said second section of said barrel portion for providing a restraint when said weapon is moved in said longitudinal direction.
 6. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said barrel mount includes a substantially flat surface facing said second section of said weapon when said butt end of said weapon is received internal to said butt housing.
 7. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said surface of said barrel mount is located in predetermined maximum distance from said second section when said weapon is mounted within said butt housing and said barrel mount.
 8. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 5 where said butt housing forms an open ended chamber for longitudinal insertion of said butt portion of said weapon.
 9. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 8 where said butt housing includes an inclined inner wall to form a funnel member for insertion of said butt portion of said weapon.
 10. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said butt housing and said barrel mount are fixedly secured to a structural member extending in said longitudinal direction, said structural member being adapted to be mounted to an external surface.
 11. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 10 including at least one stop secured to said structural member, said stop being positioned adjacent a predetermined portion of said weapon when said weapon is mounted within said butt housing and said barrel mount for preventing removal of pin members within said predetermined portion of said weapon.
 12. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 10 including a pair of butt housings and barrel mounts fixedly secured to said structural member on opposing surfaces thereof for securing a pair of weapons to said security rack.
 13. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 4 where said barrel mount includes a barrel frame having said mount passage in the form of a trough shaped passage extending in said longitudinal direction for insertion of said barrel portion of said weapon, said barrel frame having an opening passing in a direction normal to said longitudinal direction and intersecting said trough shaped passage.
 14. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 13 where said bar lock means is movably secured to said barrel frame within said opening for lockingly engaging said barrel portion of said weapon.
 15. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 14 where said bar lock means includes locking tube means having a predetermined contour for capturing said barrel of said weapon between said locking tube means and said wall of said trough shaped mount passage when said bar lock means is inserted within said opening formed within said barrel frame, said locking tube having a portion extending out of said opening when said bar lock means is unlocked and pulled to an open position.
 16. The weapon security rack as recited in claim 15 in which there is provide stop means for preventing said bar lock means from being removed from said barrel frame when in the open position. 